Wow has it been a while! Much too long. Somehow the school paperwork mounted, then one of my Folks started acting NOT like himself. I couldn’t believe it when I would come home and he would be lying there, lethargic, the pain knotting his forehead. Then a long time of searching. What in the world was wrong with him? An MRI. Brain surgery? What?? No! Meningitis then? Chemical meningitis? What in the world is the difference between chemical and bacterial??? Yes, it turned out that’s what it was.

He’s OK, he made it. He still has the occasional headache, pain in the neck, but he’s alright, thank goodness!

Which brings me to the real reason why I backed off from writing. I realized I always ended up writing about myself, and when I started this blog, my original purpose was not to make a diary of my life, but instead to share with you stories about people like Nick and Katie (Amazing Love in Feb) and Joseph (Joseph; Like a Rock in Feb). And then I happened to read the story of a woman whose story should be told around the world.

Everywhere she steps foot, eyes follow her. She walks through the supermarket, heads turn. She enters the room, and she is the central point. Folks who have lost self esteem… who feel insecure

who at home were staring in the mirror wishing they could afford cosmetic surgery…

who have NO self-confidence now that some rude insecure bully cut them down with a comment, turn curious eyes towards her. They jump down to the kid shoes she’s wearing as they give her the full scope of a look-over.

That is, until a face that lights up with friendly smile steps in front of them, and a thin skeleton hand softly touches their arm, while the other presents a card, and a friendly voice says kindly,

“Honey, maybe you should stop staring and start learning.”

Learn that what’s inside matters the most.

Learn that if you are going to be beautiful, be you!

Wouldn’t you like to have that kind of strength?

Age 23. Weight: 60 lbs. Size: triple zero clothes.

She’s a tiny woman, with the powers of Superwoman.

You can fly anywhere with her cape of confidence. And one day she decided to step out and write the the big “S” in front.

Miss Lizzie Velasquez wrote a book about her life story.

You see, it goes something like this, four weeks early, mom Rita and father Lupe welcomed a little girl into this world. Weight: 2 1b, 10 oz, and she was so adorably tiny they had to dress her in doll clothes. She lacked in adipose. Adipose, that helps you gain body fat. She is 1 of 3 people in the world with this condition. At age 4 she went blind in one brown eye. She eats every 15 minutes to keep up her energy. Insulted by cyber bullies. And everywhere she goes, she meets stares. This woman, bound and determine to succeed, went to Texas State and is now a senior, close to graduating. (I’m happy she’s Texan born, Texan bred! Like me 😉 )

Her new book was released today! It’s called appropriately Be Beautiful, Be You.

And this woman has been called the World’s Ugliest Woman.

Whoever came up with that must have been looking in the mirror at themselves.

This is a woman with a heart of gold, with a maturity that few people ever have.

She eats 60 meals a day, and she gets excited when she “gains even one pound.”

“I’m human, of course these things are going to hurt. But, I’m not going to let those things define me. At the end of the day, these are just words. If they are so proud, then they should show their face. I feel I’m really glad I don’t look like the celebrities out there who are beautiful, because there are a lot of stereotypes attached to that.”

Wow, wowwow WOW!!!

When did we start being a society of America’s Next Top Model, instead of being a society where decency is valued, where beauty is found in the way you treat your neighbor? That maturity is found when you treat someone with respect, with dignity?

I remember reading that wanted sign down by the old abandoned cabin. There was a creek flowing there.

Wanted: (it said) more people to inspire others and fewer to throw cold water on them.

Ding, ding, ding, ding, does it ring a bell? The Golden Rule, maybe?

Dear you, if they say you look ugly, they just aren’t worth it. I mean, look whose really being ugly here?

If you worry constantly about yourself…if you just feel constantly insecure:

Say, “hey, yeah, I feel insecure, I’ve got bad acne, I’m just nerdy…” just admit it to yourself that you do feel insecure!

When someone says something mean, well, ever heard of that poem that goes: Oh, a trouble’s a ton, or a trouble’s an ounce, or at trouble is what you make it, And it isn’t the fact that you’re hurt that counts, But only how did you take it?

Wow, I just can’t help it, I’m going to have to quote the rest of that poem. You are beaten to earth? Well, well, what’s that? Come up with a smiling face. It’s nothing against you to fall down flat, But to lie there — that’s disgrace. The harder you’re thrown, why the higher you bounce; Be proud of your blackened eye! It isn’t the fact that you’re licked that counts, It’s how did you fight — and why?

You are NOT inferior. I repeat, you are NOT inferior! You are good at something(s). You have a strength(s) that makes you unique from every other person on this planet!!!

You are a lucky person!! Smile because you are. 🙂 I remember a classmate who always had a smile, ALWAYS. Everyone liked to have Cole around because Cole was like sunshine in the room. Sure he jogged the entire campus every morning at 8, but wow did he work out his smile muscles everyday!! Actually, I’m sure mine could use a little exercising. 🙂

“Whenever I feel afraid, I hold my head up high, and whistle a happy tune, and nobody knows I’m afraid!” You ever heard of that song?

Do what is right! Young Johnny the cyberbully out there might not agree, but does it really matter what some random Johnny thinks? at least you know where you stand.

YES!!–she really is! I just stumbled upon a great article about her one day and was so inspired by her life that I thought I would share. So this actually is not my book but hers, which is double awesome! You can find it on good ole trusty Amazon, here:

A very LATE Happy New Years to you too! Hope your year is going wonderful! 🙂 Please continue to visit and post your thoughts! Love, M.E.